Always There When It Matters
by snapple79
Summary: Set during 1x07. Andy tells Sam what she's feeling after shooting the kidnapper and their night ends a bit differently. ;)
1. Chapter 1

**Always There When It Matters**

I was re-watching S1 a couple weeks ago and this popped into my head. Originally just a short little fic, it tuned into a two-shot. Enjoy! And please let me know what you think with a review! They make my day. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

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**Chapter 1**

The moment Andy grabbed her keys and walked out of her apartment she knew where she was going. He'd offered to listen if she needed to talk. She wasn't entirely sure that's what she needed, but she needed something. She needed to stop feeling. She needed to stop the images from replaying in her mind on a loop. Sometimes the images would trick her, make her see gunshot wounds in her own chest instead of the kidnapper's. She just needed to be with someone who cared right now.

She knocked on his door, hoping he'd gone home after shift and not back to the hospital to visit Oliver or to the blackout party The Penny was having. She shifted nervously between her feet as she waited for the door to open. "Hey."

"Hey," Sam replied, a little shocked to see her standing there. Thought she'd be finding comfort in the arms of her boyfriend after the day she had.

"You alone?" she asked, looking behind him.

He nearly laughed - would have if the sadness on her face hadn't been so real - as he glanced over his shoulder at his empty apartment. "Yeah, you wanna talk?"

She remained silent, tears feeling like they were going to break through at any moment. She wondered why she came here, straight to Sam's without a second thought. She couldn't get her mouth to form words, so she simply stood there, staring at him with big sad eyes.

"C'mon in," he said, even though she hadn't answered him. He stood back to give her room to enter. She took a few hesitant steps over the threshold, stood against the wall so Sam could push the door closed. "Right through here," he said, a hand on her lower back as he guided her further into the apartment.

She let him usher her to the couch, still not saying a word. Her breath was heavy as she tried to control herself. She didn't want to break into tears in front of Sam, didn't want him thinking she was weak. She hadn't realized he'd left her side until he returned with two glasses of scotch. He placed one on the coffee table in front of her as he sat down and took a sip of his own.

He waited, watched her elbows fall to her knees, her head quickly following into her open hands. She was tired, so incredibly tired. Of pretending she was okay. Pretending she could handle all of this. Pretending she didn't need somebody to be there for her. Just pretending, about everything.

"You're not okay," Sam finally said, the sound causing Andy to jump. She looked over to him and shook her head slowly, a tear finally escaping down her cheek. "It's alright. You killed someone tonight. It's okay _not_ to feel okay."

"I killed someone," she said softly. "Three bullets in the chest." She picked up the amber liquid in front of her, turning the glass in her hands as she stared at it.

"You saved a girl, probably countless more from being kidnapped in the future," he told her. He was proud of her today. Not only had she been persistent and trusting of her gut about the second missing girl, but she hadn't hesitated on pulling the trigger when it was necessary.

"When I close my eyes, I see all the blood. I see him lying on the floor. I hear the pop, pop, pop of the gun, feel it recoiling in my hands." She took a swig of the scotch, enjoying the burn as it went down her throat. "I keep thinking there had to be another way. I could've done something else to stop him."

"If you even hesitated, he would've shot you. He already shot Oliver. You did what you had to do. You did what I would've done, what Oliver would've done, what any good cop would do. Don't second guess yourself." He downed the rest of the liquid in his glass before leaning forward to place it on the table. Staying there, he cautiously placed a hand on Andy's back.

"Am I supposed to just get used to it? Killing someone?" she asked, sad eyes looking over at him.

"You should never get used to killing someone. There are times we have to do it, but it should never get easy," he said, hand rubbing small circles now, hoping it offered some comfort.

She leaned back into his touch as she continued to stare at him. He was here for her, to tell her it was okay, to tell her she did the right thing. _He was here._ "I was so scared. Oliver was down. The basement - I'm a cop and shouldn't let a basement scare me, but it did. I was scared searching every dark corner. And there was the girl, still tied up. Then I saw him. This guy who was at least twice my weight and taller than me. I didn't know if backup was on the way. I...I..." She couldn't stop the tears anymore. All the feelings she'd bottled up were pouring out. She put the glass she held down and covered her face with her hands, tried to stop the tears from falling.

Sam's heart ached for her. Anyone would be affected by the night she had, but this girl, with her lion's heart, it was tearing her apart. He knew he shouldn't - he was still her TO, for god's sake - but he couldn't help it. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against his body. Her head fell to his chest, tears soaking his shirt as he held her close. One of her arms wrapped around him until her palm was pressing hard against the muscles of his back, while the other hand fisted the front of his shirt next to her face.

He rubbed her back, waiting for her sobs to subside. He wasn't really sure what to do other than hold her and wait.

She couldn't even care about being embarrassed right now at the situation. She'd always kept her emotions in check, especially around her TOs, but he made her feel so comfortable, she couldn't help herself. The emotions she'd bottled up inside all night came rushing out and she didn't try to stop them anymore.

Several minutes passed before her sobs subsided. She slowly released the grip she had on his shirt, smoothing it out as she left her head on his chest. The feel of his heartbeat was soothing as she tried to get her emotions under control.

Her own heart was racing, but not from anxiety of the day or the meltdown she'd just had. It was from his touch, especially when his fingers inadvertently brushed the bare skin of her lower back where her tank top had ridden up. She pulled away from him slightly and looked up at him. She licked her bottom lip as she gazed up at him, a thrill coursing through her when she looked into his deep brown eyes.

Without thinking, she lifted her head and crushed her lips to his, the force, pushing them against the back of the couch. His hands gripped her sides as she shifted to straddle him.

Sam couldn't get enough of her. It was like an assault on his senses - he loved the taste, the feel, the smell of her. His hand gripped the back of her head, fingers getting lost in her hair, as he kept her close. Her hands were on his chest, his neck, his face, anywhere they could touch. She wanted to lose herself in him.

Her hands found the hem of his shirt and she quickly pulled it over his head, missing the contact her lips had on his when they parted. He shared the feeling and immediately brought his lips to her mouth when the shirt had been tossed aside. Hands roaming her body, he quickly gripped her tank top and in one smooth motion had it over her head. When it was gone, she wrapped her arms around his neck and ground her hips into his. He decided they needed to take this someplace more comfortable. Hands under her ass, he held her as he stood up and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

He walked them to his bedroom, thankful he could navigate with his eyes mostly closed as their lips stayed fused together. As Andy's eyes blinked open briefly when they reached his bedroom, she noticed all the candles that he'd lit to help him get around without power. Little did he know they'd create such a romantic atmosphere. It was as if the universe had a plan for them tonight, she thought.

Sam lowered them both to the bed, his lips leaving hers when her back hit the mattress only so his mouth could find her neck. The moans escaping her mouth had him keeping his lips there, sucking and biting along her neck, until she pulled his head up so her lips could meet his again. They couldn't get enough of each other, hands roaming, mouths working overtime to devour the other, hips grinding into each other. She could feel him through their jeans, wished there was a lot less clothing between them so she could _really_ feel him. She thrust her hips up to get more friction and he could feel the warmth of her. His hand slid from her thigh to her ass and was about to circle around to the button of her jeans - wanting to get her out of them immediately - when the lights and sounds of his apartment startled them as the power came back on.

Sam silently cursed himself for playing with every power switch in the place when he returned home. He nudged her nose with his as he gave himself a moment to gather enough breath to speak. "Power's back on."

She stared at him, heart racing so hard she thought it might burst out of her chest, and sucked in a couple gulps of air. "Guess it means everything's back to normal," she breathed out.

Sam glanced over at one of the bright lights blinding them and back at Andy. "I should just turn a few things off," he said.

She nodded and closed her eyes as Sam climbed off the bed, flicking the light switch off as he left the bedroom to shut off the TV and lights in the rest of his apartment.

Andy felt her phone vibrating and pulled it out of her back pocket. She sighed at the caller ID and let it go to voicemail before placing it on the table next to the bed. She rubbed a hand across her face, wondering what she was doing. No, she knew exactly what she was doing. She was acting on the feelings she'd had for a while and although she knew she had to break up with Luke now, she was not doing it over the phone. She'd call him tomorrow morning and ask him to meet her so she could do it face to face. He deserved that much.

Once that decision was made, Andy began thinking about the man who had just ignited a fire inside her. There was so much they needed to talk about. She wasn't cut loose yet, so what they were doing could cost them their jobs. Or at least _her _job; he'd probably just get stuck behind a desk. But she refused to fake it anymore and pretend she didn't have feelings for him. She was going to let tonight happen and then they could figure the rest out.

Sam leaned against the doorframe, watching her stare up at the ceiling, and he could see the wheels turning in that head of hers as something occupied her thoughts. "You okay, McNally?" He'd give her an out, let her walk away right now and they could disregard everything. Blame it on her emotionally trying day.

She flipped her head around, not realizing he was standing there. She gnawed on her bottom lip nervously. "Yup, yup, totally fine.

He walked over to the bed, noticed her phone on his night table when he climbed on the bed and hovered over her as he reclaimed his previous position. He wondered if she'd gotten a call while he was gone. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "You sure?" he asked.

She nodded. "You're always there when it matters," she said quietly. And that was the crux of it. No man in her life had consistently put her first like Sam did. Her father was great; she loved him, but he'd been distracted by the bottle for most of her life. And she found quickly that Luke was already married, to his job, which meant she always came a distant second. But with Sam, they weren't even a couple and she always knew he would be there when she needed him, like tonight.

He nudged her nose with his and gave her a small smile. "We can wait, you know. You've had a big day." The last thing he wanted was for her to feel pressured into anything their emotions rushed them into. It would kill him and he'd have to go through hours of cold showers, but he would get up and drive her home right now if she needed time.

She wrapped a leg around his - she wanted him to know she wasn't leaving and, uh, she really wanted the friction between their bodies again. "I don't wanna wait." She lifted her hips up, hoping he'd get the hint. And he did. Their lips met as his hands roamed her body in a feverish pace and they continued where they'd left off.

* * *

Later that night, Andy lay partially on top of Sam, legs tangled together, sheet pulled haphazardly over the bottom half of their joined bodies. He traced patterns on her back with his fingers, enjoying the feel of her warm body on his. She had her head propped up on a bent arm, a smile on her face as she traced his facial features with her eyes. She started with the crinkles of his eyes, thought about the way they became more pronounced when he was laughing or smiling. She let her index finger graze the ones on his right eye briefly. She moved her eyes to his strong cheekbones and then to his nose, noticing an ever so slight bump that made her wonder if he'd broken it sometime in his life. His lips, so soft and warm on hers all night, were still swollen from their kisses. Her thumb rubbed across the strong line of his jaw, feeling his day-old stubble. Her eyes continued their journey lower to his chest, but instead of the hair speckled across it, she saw three bullet holes; the three bullets she shot into the kidnapper.

He immediately saw the change in her demeanor - the glazed over eyes, the slight frown that had taken over her smile - and became worried. "Hey, you okay?" he asked.

She took a deep breath as her eyes met his. "I will be, thanks to you," she said, her lips curving into a small smile again.

"You will," he agreed. "And I'm here whenever you need me."

"You always are."

She rested her head on his chest, didn't want to think about having to leave. She was scared about going home and being alone; wondered if nightmares would plague her sleep tonight.

He petted a hand down her hair before trying to choose his next words carefully. "I know that, uh...I've heard you say you can't sleep away from home, so, uh, if you need to leave, I can drive you home. I, uh...you had a long day today, you should get a good night's sleep." The last thing he wanted to do was leave this blissful state, but it was more important for her to sleep. And _he_ wanted to be the one to bring her home; didn't want her thinking she had to sneak out and walk home alone.

She nodded into his chest. She didn't want to leave the comfort of his arms, but she'd never been comfortable sleeping in someone else's bed. "Mmmhmm, yeah, a few minutes. Thanks," she mumbled, as she struggled to fight her drooping eyelids.

They'd both been silent for a few minutes when Sam felt Andy snuggle closer to him, like she was burrowing into him. "Andy?" he whispered, but got no response. A grin broke out when he realized she'd fallen asleep. He pulled the sheets up to her shoulders, careful not to wake her with his movements, and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

He forced himself to stay awake for a while longer, wanting to make sure she didn't wake up and decide she needed to leave. Eventually, he couldn't fight it any longer, and arms wrapped around her body, he fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all the reviews, favorites and follows! Here's the second and last chapter of this story. I hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think with one of those reviews that make my day. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

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**Chapter 2 **

Andy woke up the next morning to something tickling her nose. Without opening her eyes, she crinkled her nose, hoping to move whatever the offending object was. When that didn't work, she finally pried her eyes open and couldn't help the grin that erupted on her face as the night before rushed back to her. She was now lying on her side, as was Sam, her face buried in his chest, their legs and arms tangled. She enjoyed the heavy weight of one his arms across her waist; it made her feel safe. A sudden realization came over her that not only had she fallen asleep in Sam's bed, but she'd slept soundly the whole night.

Sam woke up the moment she shifted. He felt her smile against his chest and it caused a smile of his own to take over his face.

She snuggled into him, turning her face slightly so her nose wasn't being tickled anymore. She let out a content sigh and closed her eyes again.

It was two hours later when Andy woke up again, this time to Sam tucking hair behind her ear and running his fingers through her long locks. Staring down at her, he saw immediately when her eyes gradually opened. "Morning," he said.

She tilted her head to look up at him. "Mmm, morning."

He scooted himself down so their faces were at the same level and he could do what he'd wanted to do for the last hour. He pressed his lip to hers, left them there gently until she deepened the kiss. It was a languid and passionate kiss, with arms already wrapped around each other simply tightening. When they finally parted, he nudged his nose against hers.

"Want some breakfast?" he asked, his hand running down her back.

She shrugged her shoulders. She didn't want to put him out, didn't want to keep him if he had stuff to do before shift. "You don't have to." She untangled one of her arms so her fingers could play with the hair on his chest.

"I _want_ to, McNally." He raised his eyebrows, opened his eyes wide as he gave her a look that challenged her to argue with him.

"Okay, chef," she said giggling. He rolled them until he was on top of her, and tickled her relentlessly. She was out of breath by the time he stopped.

When they finally got out of bed, Sam threw on his jeans and headed to the kitchen to start breakfast, while Andy freshened up and searched for her clothes. Nearly dressed she remembered her tank top was in his living room, and was just pulling it over her head as she walked into the kitchen.

"Need any help?" she asked, coming up next to him while he was at the stove.

"Nope, got it covered," he replied.

She poured herself a cup of coffee and topped off Sam's mug sitting on the counter near him. "So, um..." She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, nervous about bringing up what happened between them. But they had to talk about it.

Sam glanced over at her, saw her fidgeting with the mug in her hands, but didn't say anything. He wanted to ask if she was okay, but was afraid of the answer. Afraid she'd think last night was a mistake.

"We should, you know, talk...about what happened," she said, leaning back against the counter a few feet from where he stood.

"Okay."

She wanted to be annoyed that he wasn't making this easy. Then again, she was the one with the boyfriend and she figured he was probably afraid that she'd want to disregard this like she did after their near kiss her first week on the job.

"Sam...We need to talk about what we're going to do. About this. About _us_. Since it's against the rules and all." She looked over at him smiling, and waited for him to turn his head.

When he saw the look on her face, he put down the spatula he was holding and took the few steps toward her. He cupped her cheek in his hand, thumb brushing against her skin as he closed the distance between their faces. "We'll figure it out," he whispered, before pressing his lips to hers.

She smiled against his lips as they pulled apart. Sam quickly got back to breakfast before it burned and Andy edged closer to him, nudged his hip with hers, still smiling. "So, we keep quiet until I'm cut loose."

"Andy, I know you're risking a lot, could lose your job if anyone found out. But I won't let that happen, okay? I won't," he said, a determined look in his eyes.

"I'm not...okay, I'm a little worried about that. But I want this. I'm willing to risk it," she replied, her eyes matching his.

By the time they sat down, Andy couldn't help but admit she was starving. Sam cooked them eggs, bacon and toast, and they bantered easily while they ate. She felt like she was glowing, such a contrast to how she started the night before feeling. When they were done, Andy insisted on cleaning up while Sam grabbed a shower. She knew he was going to have just enough time to drop her off before heading into the station for his shift.

While she waited for him to get ready, she grabbed one of his hoodies and wrapped it around her to ward off the morning chill. She called Luke while she waited, knowing she had to get this over with sooner or later.

"How are you doing this morning, babe?" he asked.

"Uh, fine. Hey, can we - "

"This case is so big, sweetheart. Spent most of the night on scene. And _you_ cracked it. Everyone'll be talking about what you did," he boasted.

"Luke," she said loudly, trying to get him to shut up. She didn't want people talking about her. She didn't want the reminder she killed someone. "I need to talk to you about something. Can we meet for coffee or something?"

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Um, just wanna talk to you," she replied.

"Okay, I was gonna head into the station in a couple hours. I can meet you on my way," he suggested.

They agreed on a coffee shop not far from the station and Andy was glad when the phone call was over. She just wanted to get the whole thing over with, so she was truly free to move on with her life. Her life with Sam, even if they had to hide it for a while.

"You ready to go?" Sam asked, walking into the living room where she sat. She nodded as she stood up, but he could tell something was wrong. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said, a distant look on her face. "Thinking about yesterday. Feel like I'll never stop thinking about it."

He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You know, the department has someone you can talk to about it," he suggested.

"No," she replied, adamantly shaking her head. "I don't do shrinks. I just wanna stop thinking about each and every move I made, you know?"

He nodded. He did know. He'd shot a suspect more than a few times over the years. "It will eventually stop occupying your thoughts, but talking does help." Andy opened her mouth to protest, but Sam raised a hand to stop her. "I'm here if you need someone to talk to. Day or night. I'll talk. I'll listen. Okay?"

She gave him a small smile and nodded. And this, this was why she would risk her career to be with him. He cared; cared enough to _always_ be there for her.

"After you," he said, arm wide open to usher her to the front door so they could leave.

It was a quick drive to her apartment and when Sam pulled up to the curb outside her building, he leaned across the armrest to press a kiss to her lips. "I'll call you later," he said when they parted.

"Okay," she said, smiling.

She started to get out of the truck, but stopped and turned back to face him. "I, um...just so you know...so there's no question...I...I'm meeting Luke later this morning to tell him it's over. So, uh, you might want to steer clear of him, you know, so he doesn't put two and two together about why I'm breaking up with him."

The words were music to his ears, even if by the way they talked about _them_ earlier he knew she'd be doing this at some point. "I'll stay outta the D's office. Promise."

Andy smiled at Sam as she got out of the truck, and couldn't help but glance over her shoulder a few times on the short walk to the door of her building. Sam waited until she was safely inside before driving away.

She had just enough time to shower before heading to the coffee shop to meet Luke. She really wasn't looking forward to this. He'd been good to her - when he wasn't preoccupied with his job - and she hated to hurt anyone.

Andy was already sitting at a table, coffee in hand, when Luke walked in. He saw her and smiled before walking up to the counter to get his own coffee. When he sat down across from her, Andy forced a smile and was thankful he hadn't tried to kiss her.

"Did you sleep okay last night?" he asked.

"Um, yeah, slept fine," she replied, playing with her cup. "Look, Luke..."

"Why don't we get a way for a couple days? Get out of the city this weekend," he suggested, reaching across the table to take her hand in his.

She slowly removed her hand, resting it on her lap. She needed to just rip the Band-Aid off and get this over with before it got anymore awkward. "I can't do this anymore," she blurted out. "It's not you. I just...I can't."

"Is this about last night? I thought you'd want me to be part of this huge case _you_ broke open. You know how important this type of case is for a career," he said. She wasn't really sure who's career he was talking about - his or hers.

"It's not about that, not all about that, at least. I just...we're too different and...I'm not happy. I'm sorry. I can't ignore how I feel," she said, trying to be as honest as possible without announcing what was happening between her and Sam.

"So that's it? Just like that? You won't even let me try to fix whatever it is that's wrong," he said, his voice rising.

"That's it though. You don't even see that there's something wrong. I'm sorry Luke," she said, standing up. "It's over. I hope we can be friends again someday." With that, she grabbed her coffee and walked out of the coffee shop.

* * *

Andy was putzing around her apartment, already bored out of her mind when her phone rang. A grin took over her face when she saw who was calling. "Miss me, huh?"

"Always, McNally," Sam said, chuckling. "Just checking in. Saw a certain someone storming through the station a little while ago."

"I'm fine, really. It's done with and everyone moves on," she replied, flopping down on the couch with her legs resting on the armrest.

"Okie dokie. How's the rest of the morning been?" he asked.

"Um, going stir crazy. Am I supposed to watch all this crappy daytime TV? I just wanna get back to work," she whined.

"You know it hasn't even been a full day yet, right? And you probably have at least a few more before they allow you back," he said. Andy groaned. "Enjoy a couple of unexpected days off. The bad guys will still be here when you get back."

"Who are you paired with today?" she asked, ready to be a little jealous if Gail or Traci got to ride with him while she was at home.

"Epstein. He's booking a drunk we just brought in. I'd take your incessant chatter over his relentless eagerness any day," he quipped.

"Ha."

"Want me to stop by after shift?" he asks.

She wanted more than anything to say yes, but Traci had already pressured her into meeting up tonight. "I promised Traci I'd meet everyone at The Penny tonight. She just, she wouldn't take no. Wants to make sure I'm okay after yesterday," she said sadly.

"Oh, of course. Yeah," he replied, and she didn't miss the disappointment in his voice.

"But, maybe, after? I'll make it an early night."

"You've got a deal, McNally."

"Good, I'll see you then."

* * *

Andy walked into The Penny that night, nodding a hello and smiling at Sam & Jerry as she walked by on the way to the table her friends were at. She didn't miss Sam's wink, their silent communication all they could exchange right now.

The rookies had all been chatting for a while when Chris nudged Traci and looked over to the bar. Andy was engulfed in a debate with Dov and Gail, so she didn't see the nods and curious glances toward the bar by her friends. Traci was happy that her friend's back was facing the bar as she watched Luke hanging all over some blond chick.

It was Andy that broke Traci out of her trance. "Get a room, Trace! Stop undressing your boyfriend with your eyes," she said, thinking her friend was staring at Jerry.

"Andy, it's not...uh...you need to turn around," Traci said, sadness written all over her face.

Andy glanced over her shoulder and it took a solid minute to figure out what her friends were so absorbed with. Her eyes first found Sam, chatting easily with Jerry and Oliver. She continued along the bar and that's when she saw Luke with some woman. She spun her head back around to face her friends. "He can do whatever he wants. We broke up."

"What? When? What happened?" Traci asked. Andy's friends stared at her in shock.

"It just wasn't working out. Yesterday made me realize I shouldn't keep faking it," she replied.

"Andy, I'm so sorry," Traci said.

"Don't be. I'm fine. Really, I am. It was nice while it lasted," she said before taking a sip of her drink.

She challenged Dov to a game of darts, trying to change the subject, and he happily agreed. Two games later, Andy was crowned the winner as Dov begged Chris to play a consolation round. Andy returned to the table where Traci and Gail were laughing about something and joined in on the conversation.

A short time later, out of the corner of her eye, Andy saw Sam head down the hallway to the restrooms. Excusing herself, she discreetly followed the same path. She leaned back against the wall, one leg bent with the bottom of her foot against the wall, outside the men's room and waited. It seemed like an eternity - she kept glancing down the hallway expecting to get busted - before Sam came out, a surprised look on his face when he saw her.

"McNally," he drawled out.

"Sir," she said, smirking as she tilted her head.

"You always hang out near the men's restroom?" he teased, stepping closer to her.

"Thought I saw a good looking officer walk down this way. See him in there?" she quipped, looking behind him to the door he'd just come out of.

"Funny."

The giggle that escaped her mouth knocked down the remaining restraint Sam had. He pressed her against the wall, her leg dropping so their hips could meet. His lips found hers quickly and she immediately responded by licking her way into his mouth.

They both knew they couldn't stay like this for long - nearly all of their coworkers, and their boss, were right down the hall. He reluctantly pulled away, nudging her nose before he took a step back. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," she replied, nodding. "Need to say goodbye to everyone though."

"Meet me at my truck in 10 minutes," he told her before walking away. Andy couldn't help but admire the view his tight jeans displayed.

* * *

The day Andy was due back on shift for the first time since the shooting, Sam decided to stop at her favorite coffee shop on his way in. He knew they had to be discreet, but it was simply a TO bringing coffee in for his rookie on her first day back. At least, that's what it was if anyone caught them.

Of course, he had to run into Noelle on the short walk from his truck to the entrance of the station. "You shouldn't have," she said as stepped up beside him.

"I didn't," he replied with a little more bite to it than he intended.

"Ouch. Who's the lucky girl?" she asked.

He didn't know how she did it. She always saw right through them - him, Oliver, Jerry and Frank. She knew them too well, he guessed. Still, no one could know. "Jerry," he replied cheekily.

Noelle laughed as she glanced over at her friend. "I don't know. The bounce in your step, the twinkle in your eye. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were in love."

Sam's legs stopped working, causing Noelle to leave him in the dust as she headed inside. He stood there, mouth open, nerves shooting through his body, with what he was sure was a petrified look on his face. He wasn't in love, couldn't be. He hadn't known Andy for long; they hadn't even gone out on a proper date yet. He shook Noelle's words from his mind and continued on his mission to deliver coffee to a certain beautiful brunette.

Sam stopped in the bullpen looking around for Andy and quickly figured she was probably in the locker room. He headed in that direction, smiling when he saw her in the hallway. "Good morning, McNally."

She smiled, fighting hard not to let a huge grin break out when she saw Sam. "Sir." She looked down at the coffees he was holding. "One of those for me?"

He reached his right hand out, hold a cup in front of her. "Yup," he replied, popping the 'p.'

Her hand wrapped around the paper cup, her fingers tangling with his. Neither moved for a moment as they stared into each other's eyes. They had to be careful; no one could find out about them until she was cut loose. So, they didn't say anything anyone could overhear. They simply spoke with their eyes as electricity sparked through both their bodies as their fingers touched.

"Thank you," she said, when she eventually pulled her hand away from his.

"Gotta keep my rookie caffeinated, even if you're on your own today," he said.

She scrunched her nose at the thought of having to go talk to a school full of kids. "Wish we got to stick around and watch you guys retrain."

"You gonna manage out there without me your first day back?" he teased.

Andy couldn't stop the grinning from taking over her face. "Think I can manage without you for _one_ day." Truth was, they'd spent _a lot_ of her time off together - the nights after he got off shift, the mornings before he headed to work, his whole day off. They'd gotten used to being able to be with each other. She wrapped her free hand around the cup she held to prevent herself from reaching out to touch him.

"We'll see," he smirked, thinking more about how she'd manage without him personally more than professional. "See you in Parade, McNally." He stepped around her, knowing they both had to get a move on if they were going to make it to Parade on time.

She spun around as she watched Sam walk away, and took a sip of her coffee. Just the way she liked it. She tried to tamp down the ridiculous grin that threatened to break out at just the sight of Sam. This was going to be an interesting few months until she was cut loose.

* * *

The End.


End file.
